All China | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives

Went out of control and crashed in unknown circumstances in an isolated area somewhere in China. The wreckage was never found.
Crew:
T/Sgt Francis P. Bufkin Jr.,
F/O Robert M. Fiske,
T/Sgt Bert N. Wright.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-90-DL in the Huhuang Valley: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 1944 at 1200 LT

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

20253

YOM:

1944

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Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

While flying in the Huhuang Valley, both engines lost power. The captain elected to divert to Shimbuwang Airport but realized it was not possible to do it. He snap the autopilot and ordered the crew to bail out. He abandoned the aircraft but both other crew members failed to bail and opened their parachute into the cabin. While the copilot was caught outside and hit the stabilizer, the radio navigator fall in the rear of the cabin. Out of control, the aircraft crashed and was destroyed by fire. The captain was found alive few days later while both other crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

Power loss on both engines.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-45-DL in The Himalayas: 12 killed

Date & Time: May 26, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Ferry

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Calcutta - Dinjan

MSN:

9956

YOM:

1943

Location:

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Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Total fatalities:

Circumstances:

En route, the crew encountered very bad weather conditions with tail wind, low visibility, turbulence ans static so the pilots were unable to obtain any contact with the different radio stations. While flying at an altitude of 22,000 feet, the aircraft hit a mountain in the Himalayas and was destroyed on impact. All twelve occupants, among them 10 technicians of the national career, were killed.

Crash of a Douglas C-47 in China

Date & Time: May 20, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Type:

Scheduled Revenue Flight

Survivors:

Yes

MSN:

19062

YOM:

1943

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Circumstances:

Crashed in unknown circumstances somewhere in China. No casualties.

Crash of a Douglas C-47A-75-DL in China: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 15, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Douglas C-47 Skytrain (DC-3)

Operator:

Registration:

Flight Phase:

Flight

Flight Type:

Cargo

Survivors:

Site:

Mountains

Schedule:

Dinjan - Kunming

MSN:

19314

YOM:

1943

Location:

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Region:

Crew on board:

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Pax on board:

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Circumstances:

While cruising at an altitude of 10,000 feet in poor weather conditions, the aircraft encountered turbulence, lost at least 1,000 feet, hit a mountain slope and was wrecked. All three crew members were killed.

Probable cause:

It is believed the aircraft lost 1,000 feet while cruising in turbulence and poor weather conditions, resulting in a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). The pilot was completing this flight for the first time as a captain.

Crash of a Curtiss C-46A-25-CU Commando in China

Date & Time: Mar 22, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Curtiss C-46 Commando

Operator:

Registration:

41-24722

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

MSN:

26643

YOM:

1943

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Circumstances:

En route, a unknown technical failure forced the crew to abandon the aircraft. All four crew bailed out and survived while the aircraft crashed.

Crash of a Consolidated C-87-CF Liberator Express in China: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jan 25, 1944

Type of aircraft:

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

Operator:

Registration:

42-107262

Flight Phase:

Flight Type:

Survivors:

Site:

Schedule:

Jorhat - Yangkai

MSN:

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Circumstances:

The crew was performing a flight from Jorhat, India, to the US Airbase of Yangkai located some 33 miles northeast of Kunming, Yunnan, China. En route, pilots encountered poor weather conditions and in an unclear situation, a crew member was able to bail out before the aircraft crashed in a mountainous region located in the northwest part of China. Three crew were killed while the fourth was rescued.